Legislator Outlines Agenda

State Senator Dan Hegeman of northwest Missouri’s Cosby says state worker compensation will be one of the top issues facing legislators when they return to Jefferson City next month. Hegeman, a Republican who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, says low state pay is costing the state some quality workers.

Hegeman says there is room in the state budget for across-the-board state employee pay raises. Governor Mike Parson has proposed a 5-and-a-half percent pay raise for state employees. He will also ask legislators to set a 15-dollar-an-hour minimum wage for state employees. The legislature convenes for a new session in January.